Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 34: Earning One’s First Fortune as a Student
“Hmm, judging by the students’ appetite here at the Academy, two hundred chickens are nowhere near enough for them. Tomorrow, we’ll increase the quantity—up to five hundred!”
Merlin and Jean had just returned to the Beast-Taming Academy and immediately began discussing how to scale up production.
At the academy’s entrance, a number of students were already waiting for them—these were the same students who had helped Merlin process the chickens yesterday.
“Senior Jean! Big Brother Merlin! How did it go? Did our lotus leaf beggar’s chickens sell?” Gallant ran up, his small steps quick and eager, a hopeful look lighting up his face.
Sold? Not just sold—they practically flew off the shelves!
Jean had never imagined that a single chicken could earn so much, but he kept that thought to himself and instead glanced at Merlin for confirmation.
Merlin waved his hand casually. “Of course they sold. Come see for yourself—the money’s all here!”
He opened the cash box on the cart, revealing the glinting pile of gold coins inside. With a swift motion, he scooped up a handful and placed it in Jean’s hand. Then, turning to the first-year students of the Beast-Taming Academy, he said, “Line up properly. Jean has tallied up how much each of you earned yesterday. Now, go ahead and collect your share of the money!”
The first-years froze in disbelief. The sight of the overflowing gold in Merlin’s cash box left them wide-eyed. When they realized he was about to hand out money, excitement instantly sparked, and they rushed toward Jean in a chaotic, thrilled scramble.
They were making real money—and not just a little.
The materials needed to make the lotus leaf beggar’s chicken had all been supplied by these first-year students: slaughtering the chickens, picking the lotus leaves, wrapping the chickens, grinding the spices into powder—it was all their hard work. Each step paid modestly, but the sheer volume of work added up.
Holding his small notebook, Jean called out, “Everyone, stay calm! Don’t fidget, line up properly, and come to me one by one to collect your payment!”
In an open clearing near the upper reaches of the Jade River’s tributary, at the back of the academy, Jean had set up a table. Sitting in a chair, he reviewed his notes while dozens of first-year students queued in front of him, anticipation and curiosity written all over their faces.
“Hmm, let me see… Gallant, yesterday you slaughtered five chickens, ground two rounds of spices, picked eighty lotus leaves, and deboned chicken feet… let me calculate… hmm, you earned one gold coin, two silver coins, and seventeen copper coins in total.”
Jean reached into the nearby cash box and placed the coins carefully into Gallant’s hands.
Gallant couldn’t believe it—he had earned so much in just one day. He froze in place, staring at the pile of coins as if it were a dream.
“Check it carefully. See if I got it right,” Jean said, pointing at the coins in Gallant’s hands.
Under the envious gazes of his peers, Gallant finally came back to his senses. He counted the coins, then nodded vigorously, “It’s correct! That’s exactly right! Hahaha! I made money! I earned this much in just one day!”
“Don’t get too carried away—others are still waiting in line,” Jean warned.
After collecting his coins, Gallant immediately bowed deeply to Merlin. “Big Brother Merlin, thank you so much! I’m truly grateful!”
Merlin waved his hands in response. “What are you doing? You worked for me; this is the money you’ve earned—it’s yours.”
Earned money? This much? Gallants thought to himself. He had only slaughtered a few chickens, processed some chicken feet, and smeared mud on the lotus leaf beggar’s chickens—simple tasks, really. And yet he was being rewarded with such a vast amount of coins. It was almost unbelievable.
Back home, even a single gold coin would have been impossible to earn with so little effort. His parents had to work so hard just to save enough to buy one. Yet here, at the Arcane Academy, he had earned so much for doing minor chores for Big Brother Merlin.
To be honest, Gallant felt a pang of guilt—he wondered if he truly deserved it.
The other students were similarly amazed. Those who worked the most received a gold coin, and even the lesser tasks earned a few silver coins. When the coins were handed over, they felt dizzy with disbelief.
Many had only expected one or two silver coins—but this payout was far beyond that. Some first-years were even moved to tears.
For students from humble backgrounds, attending the Arcane Academy came with immense pressure. Their families had scrimped and saved, sacrificing everything to fund their education. They had grown up working alongside their parents and understood how much effort went into earning a living.
So they worked hard, yet as first-years, no matter how much they tried, they couldn’t earn money for themselves like the upper-year students, who could leverage their knowledge and skills to support themselves or even help their families.
First-years didn’t even think about making money—just saving a little for themselves within the academy was a struggle.
But today, they had earned money. Perhaps it wasn’t the very first gold they’d ever made, but it was certainly the largest sum they had ever earned in a single day.
If they could earn this much every day, it wouldn’t cover tuition entirely, but it would be more than enough to sustain themselves. They wouldn’t have to ask their families for extra money—they could support themselves.
At the thought, all the students turned to Merlin and bowed deeply in unison.
“Big Brother Merlin, we really thank you so much!” Their gratitude was impossible to express fully with mere words or gestures. They just hoped Merlin would continue to provide opportunities to work, and they were ready to work even harder to repay his kindness.
Merlin had not expected such profound gratitude from a group of first-year students. In his world, paying for labor was only natural. They didn’t need to be so thankful. The money they received was the result of their own hard work—it was theirs, earned fairly.
Yet seeing their sincerity, he felt slightly embarrassed, as if he were taking advantage of them.
Little did Merlin realize how important these job opportunities were to the students. Without them, they wouldn’t have earned a single coin. For first-years eager to earn and contribute to their families, Merlin was nothing short of a savior.
Was Merlin giving a lot? In his world, not really. The exhausting work of slaughtering chickens, harvesting lotus leaves from the sacred pond, or collecting large leaves in the back mountain—all of that earned barely more than a gold coin.
Converted into modern currency, it would be just over a hundred yuan—not much at all. On Earth, sending someone to do such grueling work for that little? No one would agree.
[Of course, excluding university students doing part-time jobs—if there was an internship certificate, they might not even spend a penny.]
Watching the first-years moved to tears by simple honest work, Merlin secretly wiped away a tear himself. They were such a lovable group—he could almost see his own first days at university reflected in their eager, earnest faces.